A Chorley housebuilder has covered the cost of delivering care at St Catherine’s Hospice on Remembrance Day through the charity’s ‘Pay for a Day’ initiative.

Redrow Homes used the proceeds from a dinner dance to cover the £11,500 it costs to run the vital services at the hospice’s base in Lostock Hall, in the community, and in patients’ own homes for one day.

“As we approach the end of our extra special 30th anniversary, we are already looking ahead to 2016 to ensure that the amazing momentum we have built up over the past 12 months continues into next year.”

Lynne Whittaker, senior fund-raiser at St Catherine’s

The firm picked Armistice Day as the day of care to be delivered using their funds, as a tribute to all those who have lost their lives in conflicts around the world.

Through the St Catherine’s Pay for a Day scheme, individuals, businesses and groups are invited to donate or fund-raise to cover the cost of either all the hospice services; the in-patient unit – which costs £6,000 – or the day therapy unit and community Clinical Nurse Specialist team, which costs £3,300.

In return, they choose a date which is special to them and hospice services on that day are dedicated to them.

Often people pick a loved one’s birthday or anniversary as their chosen day.

Steve Greenhalgh, managing director for Redrow Homes in Lancashire, which was one of the first companies to get involved in the scheme, visited the hospice and met with some of the hospice staff,

He said: “We’re thrilled to have raised enough to be part of this new Pay for a Day initiative and be one of the first companies to take part in it.

“The hospice provides an incredible, much needed service and we were astounded by how many people are involved and how much it costs to keep it running for a single day.

“We really hope that other local businesses will get behind the appeal.”

As part of St Catherine’s 30th anniversary Give A Gift appeal, run in partnership with the Guardian and sister newspaper, the Lancashire Evening Post, the charity has a target of attracting support from 30 local businesses during their milestone year in 2015.

Lynne Whittaker, senior fund-raiser at St Catherine’s, said: “As a local charity which needs £11,500 each and every day to remain open, St Catherine’s couldn’t survive without the support of successful local businesses like Redrow and we are enormously grateful for their continued support.

“As we approach the end of our extra special 30th anniversary, we are already looking ahead to 2016 to ensure that the amazing momentum we have built up over the past 12 months continues into next year.

“We want to ensure St Catherine’s is here for people who need us in another 30 years and beyond – but we can only do that with the help of our fantastic community.

“We’d love to hear from any local firms who might be interested in fund-raising or donating to ‘pay for a day’ next year.”

To to find out more about getting involved, email lynne.whittaker@stcatherines.co.uk or call 01772 629171.